Assistant Professor, at Kyungnam university, South Korea.
Se‑Yun Kim (김세윤/金世允), born on May 15, 1985, is a leading researcher and educator in advanced electronic materials and solar energy technologies. Born and raised in South Korea, he earned all his degrees—from B.S. to Ph.D.—in Electronic Materials at Kyungpook National University (2004–2015). Following his doctorate, Kim pursued postdoctoral research at DGIST and Kyungpook National University, focusing on thin-film solar cell technologies. In 2017, he joined DGIST’s Thin Film Solar Cell Research Center as a researcher, before taking up an assistant professorship at Kyungnam University in 2020. With growing leadership responsibilities including department chair and director roles in multiple research centers since 2023, Kim integrates teaching, administrative leadership, and cutting-edge scientific innovation. His expertise centers on optimizing material interfaces and phase compositions to improve photovoltaic device efficiency. He has been recognized repeatedly for notable presentations and publications at international conferences and national scientific societies, reflecting his prominence in the field of electronic materials engineering.
Professional Profile
Scopus
ORCID
🎓 Education
Se‑Yun Kim completed his higher education entirely at Kyungpook National University. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Inorganic Materials Engineering, specializing in Electronic Materials, in February 2009 after a five-year undergraduate program (2004–2009). He immediately continued at the same institution for graduate studies, pursuing a Master of Science in Electronic Materials from March 2009 to February 2011. His research during the master’s program involved material synthesis and characterization aimed at improving electronic properties. Following this, Kim embarked on Ph.D. studies in Electronic Materials, also at Kyungpook National University, from March 2011 until February 2015. His doctoral research focused on tailoring material properties for applications in thin-film photovoltaics, culminating in a dissertation that investigated material phase behavior and energy band engineering. This solid foundation in materials science and electronics enabled Kim to transition seamlessly to advanced solar‐cell and optoelectronic research, equipping him with both theoretical knowledge and practical laboratory expertise that underpins his subsequent career in academia and research.
💼 Professional Experience
After earning his Ph.D. in 2015, Se‑Yun Kim embarked on a postdoctoral fellowship at the Daegu‑Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), within the Department of Energy Research (Feb 2015–Feb 2016). He continued his postdoctoral career at Kyungpook National University from May 2016 to Oct 2017, deepening his expertise in photovoltaic material science. In Oct 2017, he returned to DGIST as a Researcher at the Thin Film Solar Cell Research Center, contributing to advanced thin-film device fabrication and performance optimization until Aug 2020. In Sept 2020, Kim joined Kyungnam University as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. His tenure at Kyungnam has been marked by leadership since Mar 2023: he serves concurrently as Department Chair, Director of the Smart Manufacturing ICC (WISE LINC 3.0), Director of the Center for Metal Additive Manufacturing, and Director of the Institute of Materials Research. In these capacities, Kim balances research, administration, and teaching, overseeing interdisciplinary teams and directing strategic initiatives in materials technologies.
🔬 Research Interests
Se‑Yun Kim’s research interests lie at the intersection of electronic materials engineering and renewable energy, with a specific focus on thin-film photovoltaic technologies, perovskite materials, and advanced semiconductor systems. His work delves into phase dynamics during layer growth, liquid-phase-assisted grain development, interface chemistry, and photoluminescence engineering. Key areas include the investigation of CZTSSe-based thin films with liquid-mediated grain growth to optimize film morphology and solar cell efficiency; mixed-halide perovskites, utilizing ternary phase diagrams to tailor optical bandgaps and emission properties; and Mo-back contact optimization to mitigate secondary phase formation. His current projects, housed under the Smart Manufacturing ICC and the Metal Additive Manufacturing Center, explore scalable synthesis techniques, materials additive manufacturing, and hybrid material systems for next-generation energy devices. Kim combines experimental synthesis, in-situ characterization, and device integration to advance the design of high-performance, cost-effective solar-energy solutions.
🏆 Awards
Se‑Yun Kim’s achievements have been recognized through multiple awards spanning academic excellence and conference distinctions. In February 2015, he received the Excellent Paper Award from the Dean of the College of Engineering at Kyungpook National University, acknowledging his Ph.D. research. During the 2018 IUMRS‑ICEM conference, he earned the Best Poster Paper Award in August, and shortly afterward was honored with the Excellent Paper Award from the Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry in November. His presentation at the 2019 GPVC conference was awarded Best Oral Presentation in March, and he secured another Best Poster Award that May at the e‑MRS Spring event. In November 2021, his early-career contributions were acknowledged with the 11th Miwon Young Scientist Award from the Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. This steady recognition from both academic institutions and prestigious conferences underscores his impactful research contributions and rising influence in the field of materials science and engineering.
📚 Top Noted Publications
Se‑Yun Kim has authored influential publications in high-impact journals. In 2020, he led the study “Effect of Cu–Sn–Se liquid phase on grain growth and efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells” in Advanced Energy Materials, detailing a liquid-assisted grain-growth mechanism critical for high-efficiency photovoltaic layers; the article has been cited 44 times pure.korea.ac.kr+3research.knu.ac.kr+3ui.adsabs.harvard.edu+3pubs.acs.org+2onlinelibrary.wiley.com+2dgist.elsevierpure.com+2. In 2019, his work on “Ternary diagrams of the phase, optical bandgap energy and photoluminescence of mixed‑halide perovskites” was published in Acta Materialia, offering comprehensive compositional maps for bandgap tuning in halide perovskites and receiving 15 Scopus citations pubs.acs.org+5ui.adsabs.harvard.edu+5dgist.elsevierpure.com+5. His other publications, also from 2019, include: “Void and secondary phase formation mechanism of CZTSSe using Sn/Cu/Zn/Mo stacked elemental precursors” (Nano Energy), “Secondary phase formation in the Mo‑back contact region during sulfo‑selenization using a metal precursor” (ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces), and “Excitation dynamics of MAPb(I₁₋ₓBrₓ)₃ during phase separation by photoirradiation” (Journal of Alloys and Compounds). These contributions solidify his reputation in sustainable material research.
1. “Effect of Cu–Sn–Se liquid phase on grain growth and efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells”
(Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 10, 2020, 1903173)
Proposes a liquid-assisted grain growth (LGG) mechanism enabled by a transient Cu–Sn–Se liquid phase, which produces large (~6 µm) grains at low temperatures (≈480 °C). However, residual liquid droplets degrade performance by creating shunt paths and misfit issues. The study emphasizes the need to eliminate liquid residues to optimize efficiency ui.adsabs.harvard.edupure.korea.ac.kr+6onlinelibrary.wiley.com+6dgist.elsevierpure.com+6.
2. “Ternary diagrams of the phase, optical bandgap energy and photoluminescence of mixed‑halide perovskites”
(Acta Materialia, Vol. 181, 2019, pp. 460–469)
Presents ternary plots for MAPbX₃ (X = I, Br, Cl) showing:
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Single-phase and multi-phase regions,
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Linear dependence of lattice constant and optical bandgap on halide composition (Vegard’s law),
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Mapping of photoluminescence efficiency across the I–Br–Cl compositional space—highlighting zones for red, green, and blue emissionarxiv.org+5ui.adsabs.harvard.edu+5pure.korea.ac.kr+5.
3. “Void and secondary phase formation mechanism of CZTSSe using Sn/Cu/Zn/Mo stacked elemental precursors”
(Nano Energy, Vol. 59, 2019, pp. 399–411)
Investigates how stacking order and diffusion during chalcogenization leads to voids and secondary phase formation in CZTSSe absorbers, pinpointing composition nonuniformity and elemental diffusion as key factors. (Search not shown—based on your citation)
4. “Secondary phase formation in the Mo-back contact region during sulfo‑selenization using a metal precursor”
(ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Vol. 11, 2019, pp. 23160–23167)
Examines reactions between metal precursors and the Mo back-contact during sulfo‑selenization. Identifies the formation of interfacial secondary phases (e.g., MoSe₂, MoS₂) that affect adhesion and electronic properties. (Search not shown)
5. “Excitation dynamics of MAPb(I₁₋ₓBrₓ)₃ during phase separation by photoirradiation”
(Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Vol. 806, 2019, pp. 1180–1187)
Explores photo-induced halide phase separation in mixed iodide–bromide perovskites. Time-resolved PL reveals how illumination triggers iodine-rich and bromine-rich domains, impacting emission characteristics. (Search not shown)
Conclusion
Dr. Se-Yun Kim is a highly qualified and deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award, particularly in the fields of materials science, energy materials, and thin-film photovoltaics. His strong academic foundation, recognized publication record, and active leadership roles make a compelling case for his selection.